Beaufort police investigate suspicious package

Submitted photo

By Beaufort Police Department

Published: Thursday, March 13, 2014 at 04:53 PM.

About 12:08 p.m. Thursday, Beaufort Police Department was dispatched to the Beaufort Rescue / EMS squad building in reference to a suspicious package. The suspicious package had been left on the ground near the building’s public entrance door.

The package, a sealed white Fedex cardboard box, was discovered by EMS staff, who called the police department for assistance.

The package had been opened by EMS staff before the officers’ arrivals.

Capt. Joe Washington, Lt. Anthony Ginther, and officer Tim Tucker responded and immediately closed down a portion of west Beaufort Road in front of the rescue squad building. Traffic was rerouted back to N.C. 101 and back to Turner Street.

Beaufort Fire Department also responded as well as the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers discovered that inside the box was a book entitled “ZOHAR” and a literature pamplet entitled “The ZOHAR.”

Officers detoured traffic for an hour and 10 minutes.

“Fortunately, this case turned out to be a harmless misunderstanding apparently. when it comes to the public’s safety we would rather take the extra time and precautions to ensure everyone’s personal safety, including the safety of emergency responders,” said chief Steve Lewis.

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About 12:08 p.m. Thursday, Beaufort Police Department was dispatched to the Beaufort Rescue / EMS squad building in reference to a suspicious package. The suspicious package had been left on the ground near the building’s public entrance door.

The package, a sealed white Fedex cardboard box, was discovered by EMS staff, who called the police department for assistance.

The package had been opened by EMS staff before the officers’ arrivals.

Capt. Joe Washington, Lt. Anthony Ginther, and officer Tim Tucker responded and immediately closed down a portion of west Beaufort Road in front of the rescue squad building. Traffic was rerouted back to N.C. 101 and back to Turner Street.

Beaufort Fire Department also responded as well as the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers discovered that inside the box was a book entitled “ZOHAR” and a literature pamplet entitled “The ZOHAR.”

Officers detoured traffic for an hour and 10 minutes.

“Fortunately, this case turned out to be a harmless misunderstanding apparently. when it comes to the public’s safety we would rather take the extra time and precautions to ensure everyone’s personal safety, including the safety of emergency responders,” said chief Steve Lewis.